Vandals can't stop the Griz

From local reports

MISSOULA, Mont. — By the time the Idaho Vandals figured out how to score touchdowns instead of settle for field goals, there was just too much ground to make up. 

Idaho fell behind early and tried to play catch-up, but the Montana Grizzlies had an answer every time in a 41-30 victory over the Vandals in the Big Sky Conference football opener for both teams Saturday night before 27,025 at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. 

"Those guys did some things offensively that we really struggled with,” Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. said. “I don’t think we tackled as well as we would have liked. There were plenty of opportunities to make plays; I thought they (the Griz) did a great job on special teams, and I thought they did a great job owning field position in the first half.” 

Montana (4-0) jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Idaho finally got going in the second quarter, but settled for field goals each time. Both were kicked by Owen Adams, from 31 and 41 yards as Idaho kept it to within 17-6 at halftime. 

Last week Owen Forsman, a redshirt freshman from Lakeland High, took over the placekicking duties after Cameron Pope missed his third field goal in two weeks. 

This week, it was Adams. 

"Practice, man,” Ford said. “You’ve got to go with the guys that are performing in practice, and Owen Adams had a really good week of practice, it was an open competition, we had some pressure kicks. Owen didn’t miss any pressure kicks, and you saw that tonight, right? He had all the confidence in the world, and so do we.” 

Forsman handled the kickoffs on Saturday, and made a nice tackle near the sideline in the second half after Montana broke a return near midfield. 

Montana totaled 413 yards, Gillman, the Jerry Rice Award winner for the top freshman in FCS two weeks ago, totaled 142 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. 

“I thought we did a good job on him, not a great job, and not a good enough job to win,” Ford said. 

With Idaho missing running backs Elisha Cummings and Art Williams, quarterback Joshua Wood threw for 262 yards, and ran for three touchdowns for the Vandals. 

But Montana answered each Idaho score with a TD of its own, keeping the margin at more than one possession. 

Idaho held Montana to a field goal on the first possession of the game. 

Later, Idaho was pinned inside the 5-yard line by a Griz punt and couldn’t get a first down, and former Eastern Washington all-purpose star Michael Wortham returned the punt to the Vandal 23. 

That led to Gillman’s 2-yard run and a 10-0 Montana lead. 

Wortham, the transfer from Eastern Washington, ran for one touchdown out of the wildcat formation, and caught a TD pass.  

“That kid’s a great player, he’s a dynamic player ... you just got to be able to tackle a guy like that,” Ford said. 

After a bye next week, Idaho plays host to Northern Colorado on Oct. 11.

Idaho    0    6    8    16    —    30 

Montana    10    7    14    10    —    41 

First quarter 

Mont — FG Morrison 37, 11:11 

Mont — Gillman 2 run (Morrison kick), 4:37 

Second quarter 

Idaho — FG Adams 31, 13:22 

Mont — Wortham 11 run (Morrison kick), 7:02 

Idaho — FG Adams 41, 2:55 

Third quarter 

Mont — Wortham 22 pass from Ah Yat (Morrison kick), 9:22 

Idaho — Wood 8 run (Cortez-Menjivar pass from Wood), 3:43 

Mont — Gillman 6 run (Morrison kick), :38 

Fourth quarter 

Idaho — Wood 4 run (Thomas pass from Wood), 13:31 

Mont — Ah Yat 1 run (Morrison kick), 7:49 

Mont — FG Morrison 26, 1:56 

Idaho — Wood 1 run (Kincheloe pass from Wood), :19 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — Idaho, Thomas 19-70, Wood 10-32, Matheney 3-4, McWilliams 1-2, Kincheloe 1-0. Mont, Gillman 27-142, Wortham 6-19, Ah Yat 7-17, Rocker Jr. 2-8, Davis 1-5. 

PASSING — Idaho, Wood 14-28-0-262. Mont, Ah Yat 17-23-0-223. 

RECEIVING — Jezioro 4-102, Superales 4-98, Thomas 3-11, Cortez-Menjivar 2-48, Harste 1-3. Mont, Deck 5-67, Wortham 5-55, Davis 4-63, Gillman 1-17, Dever 1-16, Finch 1-5.